California's public health department has issued an order requiring hospitals to report some staph infections resulting in death or an ICU stay to local health authorities. It's not focused on the MRSA cases that occur in fragile patients already in the hospital, however. The new requirement is limited to cases that start outside hospitals or nursing homes in otherwise healthy people. Officials are particularly worried about an especially virulent strain of MRSA, USA 300, which seems to behind a growing number of community-acquired staph infections. Meanwhile, hospitals are preparing for a proposal which will require the state to collect case data on MRSA bloodstream infections by July 1st. The plan is supported by the California Hospital Association.
To get reactions to the California policy:
- read this San Francisco Chronicle piece
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